of nashville



Dec. 18, 1928..

P. M. HOWSE SIDE RAIL FASTENER FOR BEDS Filed June B, 1927 'lll/IIIIIIIA uvm mam "E M HEWE. E

Patented Dec. 18, 1928.

UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIP M. HOWSE, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TO HOL-FAST BEDLOCK COMPANY', 0F NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, A CORPORATION OF TENNESSEE. i

SIDE-BAIL FASTENER FOR BEDS.

Application filed June 8,

This invention relates to furniture and more particularly to a fastener by means of which a side 'rail of a bed may be firmly but releasably secured to a bed post. The present invention is an improvement over a somewhat similar fastener constituting the subject-matter of my copending application iiled May 5, 1927, Serial No. 189,055.

One object of the invention is to provide a' fastener which may be readily applied to the inner face of the side rail of a bedV and serve not only as means to connect the side rail with a bed post but also as a corner brace at the intersection of the side rail with the bed post.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide improved means to pivotally mount le vers forming part of the fastener upon a rail engaging plate. and prevent the levers from working loose uponV a pivot and moving out of proper relation to each other.

Another object of the invention is to so dispose the levers that they will bear against a side flange projecting from the attaching plate and thereby provide means to brace the levers and prevent the pivot pin of the levers from being `subjected to shearing strain when anchoring arms carried by the levers are lnoved into tight binding engagement with abutment pins carried by a bed post.

Y Xnother object of the invention is to provide the levers with companion racks adapted to interlock and `securely but reli-.asably retain the levers in a set position with the anchoring arms of the fastener in tight engagement with abutment pins carried by a bed post. y

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a View showing the improved fastener in side elevation with its anchoring arms extending into a pocket formed in a bed post, a portion of which is shown in vertical section; Y

Fig. 2 is a view showing the corner post and side rail of a bed in section and the improved fastener in top plan;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3ofFig.1; Y I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sec tional view through the levers when interlocked;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectionaly view neet 1927. Serial No. 197,395.

through the levers taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a view of a block employed when storing or shippingfa pair of bed rails.

The rail fastener constituting the subjectmatter of this invention is employed to conside rail 1 of a bed to a corner post 2 having a pocket 3 formed therein through which pins 1 extend in vertically spaced re lation to each other. The bracket 5 which constitutes the body portion of` the fastener is formed of sheet metal and has one end portion bent to form a flange 6 which provjects transversely from the side rail, as

Ishown in 2, when the bracket is applied to the side rail and secured by screws 7 passed through openings formed in the bracket. The outer surface of the flange may extend iush with the end face of the bed rail, as shown in Fig. 2, or the rail may be allowed to project slightly beyond the flange in order that a slight inward 1nove ment niay be Aimparted to the bed rail when the fastener is tightened.

The levers 8 and 9 are also formed of strong sheet metal and each is stamped to provide a longtitudinally extending rib 1() which rserves to strengthen the lever and prevent it from being bent by ln'cssure exerted during movement of the levers into and out of an operative position. These levers have their forward end` portions die posed one upon the other and formed with registering oiienings 1l throughv which a rivet 12 is passed, the rivet being also passed ihiguugh an opening 13 forniel'l in the plaie er bracket 5 and upset. as shown at it, so that the rivet wiil be held in place and the two levers pivot-ally mounted. At their forward ends the leversI have arcuate edge faces with the axis of the rivet as their cen ters, and these arcuate edge faces merge .into the fiat outer side edges of side extensions 15- which project transversely from the levers in opposite directions, as clearl shown in Fig. 1. By referring to this figure, it will be seen that the opening 13 through which the rivet passes is disposed in such spaced relation to the iiange 6 that the forward ends of the levers will always bear against the inner surface of the flange. Therefore, the levers will be braced against forward movement and when they are swung about the rivet there will be no dan- 'the pz'icket ger ofthe rivet being subjected to a shearing action which might canse it to he severed. It is also important that the pivftally mounted ends ont the levers be retained in proper relation to each other. Therefore, the terr-.fard end or hub portion ol the lever S has been stamped to provide circular concave-convex rib 16 which encircles the outer end oia the rivet and lits into a sin'iilar rib 17 formed in the 'forward end portion ot the lever' 9. By referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the portion of the plate or bracket 5 immediately surrounding the opening 13 through which the rivet or pivot pin passes is pressed outvvardly to 'forni a circular boss 18 encircled by and bein" against the rib 17. "herelore, the two ,i vers will be so interlocled with respect to each other and theboss 18 that they will be prevented from having movement radially 'of the rivet or pivot pin 'l2 and wear uren the rivet or walls ot the openings throi k which it passes which might cause the rivet to vbe loosened.

In 'order to engage the pins il? l have provided anchoring arms 19 which are pivotally connected withv the side extensions 15 o' the levers, as shown at 20, and these anchoring 4arms are slidably Ypassed through slots 21 fand terminate in bills Q2 at their ifi-ee ends which extend downwardly troni the arms, as shown in Fig. 1, and are intended to engage the pins vhen the arms are passed into the pocket 3 olithe corner post 2. By reterrlng 'to Fig-1, itwill he seen that when the arms are passed into the pocket 3 they rest upon the pins and by,

swinging the levers toward each other the side extensions 15 will be 'moved away from the flange G and the anchoring arms drawn outwardly vuntil the bills 22 are lmoved into tight binding engagement `with the pins. Even il the pins are carelessly driven into the corner .post ont ot parallel Vrelation to each other or one closer to the inner Send et' than the. other7 the anchoring arms may ystill have proper engagement with them as the levers are movable independent ot each other and, therefore, the levers and ranchoring arms may accommodate themselves to the positions ot the two pins.

It is desirable to have the levers securely but releasably held in a set position after after being moved lto secure the hed rail to the corner post. Therefore, the levers adacent their tree ends have been formed 'with side vextensions 23 and these widened yportions of the levers are crimped, shown at 24, to form transversely extending arcuate ribs yhaving teeth 25 cut therein and providing 'racks adapted to interlock when the levers are swung toward each other a su'lli- 'cient distance'to'cause the racks to overlap, as indicated by dotted lines in, Fig. 1. In

view oit the tact that the teeth ot the racks .face in opposite directions, the leversl may be moved toward each other and willrbe prevented from having retrograde movement until the levers are sprung laparty a suilicient distance to release Athe teeth troni interlocking engagement with each other.

vliv this arrangement the levers may be very `easily and quickly moved to a locking posi- Vpart. lt should also he noted that'since Ahe llane G hears against the post the brackt constitutes a corner hraceftor the post `ood side rail and holds them in proper region to each other. Y l

ln Fig. (i. there has been shown a block Q6 employed when storing or shipping bed 'l' This bloot is 'formed with slots 27 ading 'to the slots Vin the bed posts and crossed by pins 28. When the bed rails are to be shipped or stored, they are disposed with their polished faces in iacing but spaced relation to each other and the anchoring arms of 'their fasteners fitted into the slots oi the blocks and levers a lj11sted to lirmly engage the arms with the pins. Companion rails will then be joinedand can be shipped or storedr without danger of them becoming separated or their Ypolished surt'aces scratched. Therefore, crating the rails will be -unnecessarvl Having 'thus described the inventiom'l claim:

1. A hed rail fastener comprising a body adapted to be secured against abed rail'and having a flange at one end to bear against a bed postand termed with slots, levers disposed one against the-other ane. at one end pivoted to said hody z tbout a common pivot.l

the pivote/d ends ol said levers having arcuate edges hearing against said ilange, anchors pivoted to said l.levers Vand projecting 'from said flange, and the vlevers being formed with side extensions adjacent their -iree ends and stamped to form racks extending transversely across said levers and side extensions and having teeth to interlock and releasahly retain the levers in a set position.

2. A bed rail fastener comprising 'a body adapted to be secured against a bed rail, levers pivoted to said body one against the other with'their free end portions project- 'ing from the body, the portions oi" the levers projecting` from the body being formed with `transyersely extending arcuate-ribs to overlap when the levers are swung 'toward each released when it desired to taire the bedlllll other and the ribs having teethy facing in opposite directions and adapted to interlock to releasably retain the levers in a set position.

3. A bed rail fastener comprising a body adapted to be secured against a bed rail, levers pivoted to said body one against the other with their free end portions projecting from the marginal edge of the body, the portions of the levers projecting from the body having port-ions crimped to provide transversely extending arcuate ribs of a concavo-convex formation in cross section and adapted to contact in overlapping relation to each other when the levers are swung towards each other and having their con.- tacting surfaces formed with teeth facing in opposite directions and adapted to interlock and releasably hold the levers in a set position.

4. A bed rail fastener comprising a body adapted to be secured against a bed rail, levers having end portions disposed one against the other and one bearing against the outer face of said body, and a pivot tending through registering openings in said body and levers, portions of the levers around the pivot being formed with annular concave-convex ribs encircling the pivot and fitting one within the other and the portion of the body about the pivot being formed with an outstanding boss encircled by the rib of the inner lever.

5. A bed rail fastener comprising a body adapted to be secured against a bed rail, levers having end portions disposed one against the other and one bearing against the outer face of said body, and a pivot extending through registering openings in said body and levers, a portion of thebody about the opening therein being pressed outwardly to form a boss and portions of the levers being pressed inwardly to form concavo-convexed ribs encircling the openings in the levers and received one within the other,the rib of the inner lever encircling said boss and preventing movement of the levers radially of the pivot.

b. A bed rail fastener comprising a lbody adapted to be secured against a bed rail, levers having end portions disposed one against the other and one bearing against said body, a pivot connecting said levers with said body, and means to e'ect interlocking engagement between the levers and body and prevent movement of the levers radially of the pivot.

7. A bed rail fastener comprising a body adapted to be secured against a bed rail and having a flange at one end to bear against a bed post and formed with vertically spaced slots, levers pivoted to said body one against the other about a common pivot and having `their marginal edge faces bearing against said iange between the slots formed therein, anchors pivoted one to each of said levers `and projecting through adjacent slots and retractable by moving the levers in opj )osite directions, and means to releasably retain the levers in a set position.

8. A bed rail fastener comprising a body adapted to be secured against a bed rail and having a iiange at one end to bear against a bed post, the flange being formed with vertically spaced slots, levers pivoted to said bodyone against the other and having their pivotally mounted ends disposed about a common pivot and bearing against said iiange between the slots and provided with side extensions extending in opposite directions and each overlapping an adjacent slot, and anchoring arms pivoted one to each of the side extensions of said levers and projecting through the slots formed in said flange and retractable by moving the levers yin opposite directions.

9. A bed rail fastener comprising a body adapted .to be secured against a bed rail and having a iiange at one end to bear against a bed post and formed with vertically spaced slots, levers disposed one against the other and having hub portions at one end bearing against said flange between the slots formed therein and formed with side extensions projecting one upwardly and the other downwardly and each extending across an adjacent slot in the flange, a. pivot passed through the body and hubs, anchoring arms each pivoted to a side extension of a companion lever and slidably passed through an adjacent slot, the anchoring arms being adapted to be retracted by moving the levers in opposite directions, and means to releasably retain the levers in a set position.

In testimony whereof l affix my signature.

PHILIP M. HOWSE. [1.. s] 

